


Roses

by KyeAbove



Series: Rebel Complex [3]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Gen, M/M, Sammy is finally being the affectionate jerk older brother he was always destined to be, Two-Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-24 22:40:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14365197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyeAbove/pseuds/KyeAbove
Summary: Jack asked Johnny out on a date, and even though they’re unsure what they feel for each other, they want to make the most of their time together.Sammy gets to tease Johnny over it though, because it's his right as the oldest brother.





	1. The Teasing

Johnny had been having a relatively good day. Good, until he entered Sammy’s office to pick up some sheet music. He found the other man sitting cross-legged, his chair facing the entrance. Sammy wore a devious grin, petting a tiny tabby kitten he’d been bottle-feeding. It was a rather contradicting sight.

“So, Jack seems nice.” Sammy spoke, his amusement leading to mental torture.

Johnny crossed his arms, all thoughts of his job cleared from his mind.

“Yes. He is. I don’t see why this is such a big deal to you. Many people are nice.”

How much did Sammy know?

Jack Fain was new around the studio, and had so far been a wonderful addition to the music department. Sammy seemed to appreciate not having to write song lyrics anymore.

That was common knowledge.

What was also common knowledge was that Johnny and Jack has started seeing each other socially. Why wouldn’t they? No animosity had developed, and they both enjoyed piano music, and it started from there. It was supposed to be that simple.

“He must be very nice if Wally spotted the both of you being _really good friends_.”

So it seemed Sammy knew a lot. Sammy’s grin grew into the most smug of smirks, as Sammy scratched under the kitten’s chin. A kitten’s purring is usually not a good complimentary sound to a situation like this.

Damn the janitor. Wally Franks was many things, and a gossip was one of them. Chances are everyone knew and they’d all been too polite to bring it up.

It really wasn’t anything serious. All that happened was that Jack gave Johnny a rose, and asked him to dinner. Johnny had accepted the offer, because while he wasn’t sure what he felt for Jack, this would certainly be the final judge. If anything, at least he got a nice dinner out of it.

“Well, I’m not planning to move in with him or anything. It’s only dinner.”

“Dinner, and before a flower! You met him so recently, John. He's certainly much older than you.”

No one was quite sure how old Jack was, especially with his youthful face, but he'd described himself as old several times. Still, Johnny was interested.

“Sam, please. Don’t. Its not like I'm a young schmuck. How about you go drink some milk or something?”

Sammy pointed to his coffee cup. His sudden displeased look told that it was empty.

“Wally hasn’t been by with a new one.”

“Why don’t you get your own coffee?”

“Why should I when Wally brings me coffee?”

This would only go in circles, but if Sammy was distracted from the topic of Johnny’s upcoming dinner with Jack, then this would do. But Johnny’s hopes were misplaced.

The tabby kitten mewed, and Sammy cooed.

“See, even Emmy thinks you’re so cute. Have fun on your date.” Sammy grabbed the complete sheet music, and held them out. Johnny growled, and reached to grab them. Sammy suddenly pulled them away.

“Sammy, really?”

“If it doesn’t go well, I’ll see that he's gone.”

“Sammy!”

But by God, Johnny hoped the date went well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Johnny/Jack is probably one of the most out of nowhere pairings I've ever thought up.
> 
> Next part is The Date.


	2. The Date

It wasn’t too fancy a restaurant, and Johnny thanked the angels above for that. It was a place, if it wasn’t for the rose, Johnny would have thought he was meeting Jack as a friend. 

The restaurant advertised itself by the drifting of scents from the kitchen, and a neatly drawn menu board. Johnny took a quick look around, and was unable to spot Jack from a glance. A waitress caught his glance, and quickly moved towards him. 

“Hello! Table for one?” She asked, smiling sweetly. It didn’t really reach her tired eyes, but he appreciated her attempt. 

“Actually, I’m here for Jackson Fain...Jack. Did he mention me?” 

The waitress’s eyes light up. 

“Of course. You’re Johnny Lawrence! Jack hasn’t stopped talking about you for weeks.” The waitress, unprofessionally, grabbed Johnny’s hand, and pulled him forward. “I’m Jack’s sister, Winny. Jack’s just down the way.”

Jack was sitting at a table that would have been just out of Johnny’s view from the entrance. His smile reached his eyes when he spotted Johnny being dragged towards the table. 

“Hola, Johnny! Como estas?” Jack asked, in a terrible accent. Johnny really wanted to be annoyed by the butchering of his mother tongue, but it meant Jack was making an effort, and had clearly remembered the passing comment Johnny made about originally growing up in Spain. It was endearing, really. But different from how Johnny found Sammy habit of playing mother to cats endearing. It meant something, but Johnny didn’t have time to dwell on it. 

“I’m doing just fine.” Johnny replied, sitting down in the chair across from Jack. “Just a little shocked you asked me out like this.” 

“I know it is quite sudden.” Jack admitted, fiddling with his hat. “But we only live once.” 

“I’m not even sure what to think about this. But you’re right.” Johnny was far into adulthood, with a job he loved, and a large enough family. Reaching adulthood at all had been a surprise to Johnny. Life had not always been kind to him. Kinder than it had been to his parents, but he still feared it even today.

“I was thinking, we have dinner, try to think of each other in a romantic sense, and see where that goes.” 

That was the far most reasonable way to go about this date. 

Winny had been waiting patiently, ready to take their orders at any time, but finally she spoke up, because she had other tables to wait on. 

“So, what will it be, men?”

“I’ll have my usual.” Jack said with a smile, “Make sure Martin doesn’t burn my burger this time.” 

“It was only once, ten years ago!” Called a voice, from the kitchen. Presumably Martin. “I said I was sorry!” 

“That burger sent my soul from my body. I will never forget!” Jack called back, before laughing and turning his attention back to Johnny. “I’ve mentioned Martin before, right? He’s the baby of the family.” 

That explained Jack’s choice in restaurant. It was his family’s. 

“He won’t burn my salad, will he?” Johnny motioned for Winny to write that down. “I’ll also have chips...err...fries.” Only about a year in England, and he’d never shaken some of the terminology. 

“If anyone could burn a salad, it’s Martin. Otherwise, he’s a good cook.” Jack gave Winny a nod, and she scurried off to the kitchen, humming. 

“Henry could burn a salad. He set himself on fire once. He could burn a salad.” Johnny said, words pouring from his mouth before he thought them through. Thankfully they were rather innocent. 

“You’re rather casual with Mister Bendtsen, aren’t you?”

“I am. I’ve been working at the studio for some time. That, and Henry is dating my brother. They won’t admit it just yet, but even Joey’s given up on Henry at this point.” 

Jack got an odd look in his eyes. 

“I almost feel like I’m intruding, turning up like this. But...you people accepted me like it was nothing. I’m still not entirely sure what part I have in all this.” 

“As I see it, you showed up with your fancy hat and proved you belonged. Even if you don't see it, I do.” 

Jack blushed a little at the compliment, and looked away from Johnny. 

“Thank you. That means a lot.” 

They made small talk while waiting for their food. Just like they would any other time they saw each other. It felt natural. Neither was sure if it was any bit romantic, or if anything had changed, but it was something. Friendship, with the hope for more. 

Winny came to their table with their food, and grinned at the both of them.

“So, boys. Do you think this will go anywhere?”

“It’s a little too soon to say.” Johnny said, accompanying his tone with a glare. 

Jack was silent, and when Johnny looked back, Jack was halfway under the table. He emerged with a bouquet of roses. Jack had mentioned at one point his grandmother was a florist. That must have been where the flowers came from. 

“We’re at least going to try.” Jack said, but it sounded more like a question. He handed Johnny the bouquet, which Johnny accepted. Johnny wasn’t used to smiling this much in such a short time.    
  
“Why wouldn’t we?” 

They couldn’t say where things would go right, or whether everything would work out like either of them hoped, but they could admire the flowers, eat their dinner, chat in between, and just hope they got somewhere from here. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Winny and Martin are OCs, but I feel the story would be a bit duller without them.


End file.
